Resources

"Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Your money is on the table. Do you know what you're in for? Learn basic starting-hands and play strategies, and what to look for at a table to increase
your win percentage. Winning poker hands is not about who has the luck.
It's about who is able to out-play their opponents with their strategy.

It is important to remember to adjust the strategy you are using to your
specific table. Constant adjustment and focus in this game is critical.

Strategy is adjusted for the following;

Table stakes.

Type of stud game.

The cards on the table. (and in your hand)

Demeanor of your opponents.

Number of players at the table.

Number of players in the betting rounds.

The following information is used to determine whether to play the cards you
have in your hand at a full table or not. For the actual starting hand
combinations and strategy, choose the link at the top that describes which
game you would like to view the starting-hand strategy for.

Basic things to keep in mind:

In any seven card stud game there are some essential things that you will be
focusing on when the starting hand (the first three cards dealt to each player)
is dealt out. If you lose your focus on these things at any time, it could cost
you the hand. If you weren't paying close enough attention to these things or
were distracted during the deal, it is probably best to fold your hand
immediately. You will probably not remember the cards specifically on later
streets, however, you will generally have a 'feel' for if an opponent's hand is
real or if it is a bluff.

When the starting hand is dealt and all the door cards are showing you will need
to do this as quickly as possible before players start folding their hands:

Look at all of the door cards showing around the table.

Count how many of each suit is out.

Look at what card numbers are out.

Remember which player was the first to raise the bring-in bet (if any) and how
far away they are in position from the bring-in.

Remember if the player with the bring-in bet calls any raises.

Let the table know that you are not afraid to raise and re-raise.

Let the table know that you can lay down a very good hand, even after
re-raising.

Why do these things matter? Depending on what you have in your own hand,
having general knowledge about the other cards on the table will determine
whether you call, raise, or fold. If the cards in your hand combination are
live, you will have a higher rate of success in achieving a winning end result.

Again, if cards have been folded around the table, and you have missed the
opportunity to view those door cards, be inclined to fold unless you have a
super-strong hand and nobody has yet raised the bring-in.

You are not only counting the cards for your own hand, you are counting cards
and suits to determine what is live for other player's hands for later rounds as
well.

If your cards are not live, then fold.

If you find on fifth street that you are chasing to make a hand against an
aggressive better, it is best that you probably fold. Of course, you may not
know this until show-down and you've lost. Use the experience of knowing when
you are chasing cards for your hand against a player betting aggressively, that
they probably already have a made hand. Then fold earlier next time. In the late
streets they are highly unlikely to fold what they've invested into the pot when
they've been betting aggressively.

Determining if you have a live flush combination:

If you have a three-flush starting hand, the other door cards you have viewed
will determine the odds of you hitting your flush. You are counting how many of
the cards on your table are of the same suit as your flush draw. In later
rounds, for anyone else who is showing a flush-draw in their up-cards, you will
need to know how live their flush is before continuing to bet or call.

A general rule of thumb to determine the odds of you hitting your flush at a full table is; if there are more than two players (excluding yourself) showing
the suit you need to make your flush, consider your flush dead. If the table is
short-handed you may call for one bet. Especially if you have other outs. If any
cards that turn at fourth street that you need for your flush appear in other
player's hands, really consider your flush a long-shot. At a short-handed table
you may adjust the fourth street rule to suck-out a back-door flush, however the
door-card suit-count rule should remain the same; consider the flush dead if
there are more than two of the same suit you need in other players' hands.

Determining if you have a live straight combination:

If you have a combination in your starting hand to possibly hit a straight, you
will be looking to see that the cards that you need to complete your straight
are still live. In later rounds, for anyone else who is showing a straight
draw, you will need to know how live their straight is. If you have a
connector combination such as 789 and you see 5's, 6's, 10's, or J's around the
table, consider your straight dead. Also consider that if you see other 7's, 8's
and 9's at the table, the cards that you need to make pairs for this hand should
be considered dead to your draw.

Two Pair Play:

If you have a combination in your hand where you can make two-pair, you want to
see who's cards may be higher than yours. You will also be looking to see if the
cards you need for pairs will still be live or if they are out of play.

The first player to raise the bring-in bet has a fairly strong combination. Most
likely a pocket pair or split pair. The position that they raise from may
determine if they are attempting to steal the pot or if they really have a hand
to play.

Other notes to remember for low and medium stakes tables:

At low-stakes tables, players do not like to fold. Especially in card rooms.
They'll bet and call just about anything, and being in a hand usually means
you're going to end up in a heavy multi-way hand where there is a lot of action
and money the winning pot is a very good amount. When nobody likes to fold and
you are playing strong combinations, be aggressive. Don't fall into the trap
where you're playing crappy combinations because other players at your table
don't know how to fold and start with crappy combo's themselves. Use it to your
advantage and play strong opening combinations with aggressive betting strategy
and take the pot.

There are also tables where they will play crappy combos to the river calling
all of your raises just for the hell of it, or maybe they caught something great
on their crappy combo. This can be extremely frustrating and costly. Continuing
to play tight and aggressively at a table like this will eventually get them to
wake up and play better hands when the chips keep moving to your side of the
table after you're winning show- downs and you've been playing strong
consistently.

For online play, my experience is that the players at the table usually play
pretty straight-up, with little bluffing and will fold in earlier rounds when
they know the cards in their hand are beaten. The exception to this
usually occurs during tournament play.

The longer you sit at a table with the same players, the more you get a feel for
their strategy, what they raise and call with, and how easy or difficult it is
for them to fold. Take mental notes about each player and adjust your strategy
according to which players are in the hand with you. Bet aggressively to
fold-out the weakest player(s). Have a made hand to call bets against another
strong or aggressive player. Check and call or check and fold to players
who are known for consistently having real hands and compare yours to theirs.

Be sure to read the advanced strategy section to see what you are up against
with experienced and very loose players.